Bellevue's comprehensive plan, which captures the community's vision for the future of Bellevue and provides direction for city regulations and investments, is due for an update. With the City Council's direction Monday, staff will check in with the public and appointed boards and commissions about the scope of the update.

The current comp plan was adopted in 2004. A lot has changed in Bellevue since then. In what will be a 10-year update targeted for completion in 2014, staff will collect census and other data that show just how the city has changed.

With new population and job growth figures, the update, required by the state's Growth Management Act, will forecast future growth and demand for services and plan for how to meet those demands.

The council may consider changes to policies concerning key topics, and will ask residents and businesses to also suggest changes that help the plan remain relevant to the community.

Planning & Community Development staff will conduct outreach to residents, businesses, other community groups and boards and commissions this fall and winter. Early next year the council will determine the scope of the update and review a detailed public outreach plan.

Public hearing on light rail permitting processThe council held a public hearing on a proposal that would amend the city's land use code, creating a comprehensive new part to guide light rail permitting.

The "overlay" portion of the code would create permitting processes, development standards and design standards for reviewing the future East Link line. The changes are intended to fill in gaps in the current land use code, which did not anticipate a light rail line.

Five residents spoke at the hearing. Common concerns expressed by some residents and some council members included how state environmental regulations would be applied to the code amendments, and whether the aggressive schedule for completing the work is appropriate.

Next steps in the code amendment process call for two more council study sessions, tentatively scheduled for Nov. 13 and Nov. 26. Final council action on the amendment is anticipated in December, but the schedule could be modified if needed. Before the council votes on the amendment, a state-mandated environmental review must be completed and a determination made on whether the code amendment is likely to have any adverse impacts on the environment.